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Monday, July 18, 2016

I've shared a little before, but get asked many questions about Tab and football. So, I thought I'd do my best to answer them today.

I'm going to back it up just a little bit-Tab comes from a football family. His dad played football in college and then went on to become a football official in college and eventually the NFL. Tab played five years of college football at Arkansas State University. He was getting a sports management degree with a minor in business so his options were pretty open. He contemplated staying on and going the coaching route, but decided he would rather do something else for a living. He graduated and then moved to Dallas, Texas, for his first big-boy job. We got married just six months later and I joined him.

He had thought about getting into officiating once we were moved and settled in Texas. He even went to a couple meetings before he decided he didn't have the time needed to devote to it at the moment. (And I think I was a huge part of that-I knew only a FEW people when I moved here. Imagine small town girl placed in a large city. I was a fish out of water!! So, I'm so thankful he decided to wait until I was settled.)

Fast forward a couple years, he went to the local high school chapter meeting and got himself involved. Eventually....ended up where he is today.

How do you get started with officiating football?

You have to start with your local chapter. In our area, the closest chapter is in Dallas. Starting a bit before football season, this group meets once a week for meetings. I'm sure it's different in every area, but here Tab started as a sixth-man on a varsity crew, which means he spent one entire varsity season basically shadowing a varsity crew. This helped him observe other officials and he LEARNED a ton! At the same time, he began working junior high and junior varsity games. In Texas, those games are Tuesday and Thursday nights. Tab's schedule at the time looked like this....

Full-Time Job-Monday-Friday during the day

Monday Night-Chapter Meeting

Tuesday Night-Junior High Game

Thursday Night-Junior Varsity Game

Friday Night-Sixth Man on Varsity Game

Alabama vs Wisconsin 2015

Do you have to take classes or tests?

No classes are required but there are tests. Lots and lots of tests which means lots and lots of studying. :)

Texas vs Oklahoma 2014

Oklahoma vs Oklahoma State 2014

How do you go from high school officiating to college officiating?

Clinics...there are football officiating clinics all over that usually happen in the spring/early summer. Officials go to these to learn, learn, learn and it helps to get there name out there to college conferences.

Florida Citrus Bowl January 2015

I know this wouldn't work for every family, but it works for us. I must add that by November every year-I'm usually OVER football season! ha! #keepinitreal

The kids and I do our best to stay busy, and we tag along to a game or two during the year. We have gotten to attend many fun games and events due to Tab's football schedule.

This whole football thing was COMPLETELY new to me when I met Tab. My high school didn't even HAVE a football team, but I've fully embraced it. It's definitely part of our family now. :)

Music City Bowl 2015

If you have a son, boyfriend, husband, nephew, or any guy in your life who is all about some football, I'd highly recommend you encourage them to give this officiating gig a try.

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comments:

I feel like you left out a very important paragraph about how it helps to have an awesome wife when you're officiating. You are a rock star wife that is so great about his busy schedule and time away. I am always impressed with how well you handle that stuff! He does an awesome job...but I know it helps that you're holding down things back at home!

I saw your title and was like oh no!!! It can't be already! But, alas, it is here. Our summer travels are over and DJ is back in the office full time. August is right around the corner and we'll go days without seeing DJ.....hello football season! This girl is so not ready!

Thanks for sharing more about Tab's schedule! It's awesome that you are so supportive of doing something he loves knowing it requires a lot of time away from you all during the fall season! As a newlywed wife to a firefighter who is gone A LOT, it is inspiring to see how well you handle the kids & life while he's gone. Kelseywww.thepeacockroost.com

I have to say that once I discovered your blog, and learned that your hubby was an official, I look for him on all the games I watch! LOL ....not to be a stalker or anything! Its just fun to see someone in action! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE (did I mention LOVE) college football. I married into a Penn State family in 1984 and I divorced my husband in 1998 but my love for everything PSU never left! I bleed BLUE and WHITE! I even put a countdown on my phone, subscribe to several college football schedules on my phone calendar and have season tickets to our local university's football team-- Fresno State Bulldogs! Go Dogs! Anyway, thanks for sharing about your football wife life! I love it!